Structure

This book is organized into six long chapters that explore closely related but distinct ideas and themes. The first two chapters provide a framework and some historical background, the middle two focus primarily on the idea of fear, and the last two are more practical in nature, describing recent and current government policies. Throughout the book, Hayes interjects anecdotes from his own life, others lives, and well-known events from the news. These are only examples used to illustrate various points; Hayes’s commentary and arguments comprise the vast majority of the narrative. Anecdotes are not arranged chronologically and Hayes assumes the reader has some knowledge of notable events like the shooting of Michael Brown. The central thesis, as indicated by the book’s title, is that the United States is both a Colony and a Nation. This theme unifies all of the chapters, but Hayes expounds significantly...